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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 5, Winter 1944-1945

Page 90

90
FANTASY COMMENTATOR

writing-standard; and the final chapters of "Rulers of the Future" were a decided improvement on the earlier ones, being quite entertaining in spots.

For science-fiction readers who wished to look ever further afield for reading, there was a fair-sized assortment of magazines that featured occasional stories in this vein. Burroughs' "Swords of Mars" was appearing serially in The Blue Book Magazine, and the January 1935 issue of Thrilling Adventures contained "World of Doom," a Cummings story you had to like Cummings a good deal to enjoy. Although it was originally scheduled for Astounding and was illustrated by Dold, E. J. Derringer's "Heritage" came out that month in Top-Notch magazine. The air periodicals were also carrying yarns of a slight fantastic trend: Dusty Ayres, G-8 and His Battle Aces and Terence X, O'Leary's War Birds all dealt in part with the wicked Orientals, Germans, etc., and the various colored death rays that finished off each subversive group---until the next month, anyway. Operator 5 was busy with "The League of War Monsters," in the February number, and Arthur B. Reeve contributed "Craig Kennedy Strikes Back" to Popular Detective in the same month. The sole example of the genre in the slicks was Ben Ames Williams' "Deputy of Peril" in the January Red Book.

Let's roll back the years to 1925.

The nearest thing to an all science-fiction magazine twenty years ago were the Gernsback forerunners, and in Science and Invention John Martin Leahy's "Living Death," a novel of fantastic Anarctic adventure, was appearing as a nine-part serial. In the same magazine, during this three-month period, a trio of the "Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets" series of Clement Fezandie appeared. Radio News, another Gernsback publication, also featured frequent yarns of this type; the January number contained Warren Ordway's "Books in the Air"; the February, R. F. Smith's "Cent from Heaven": and in March, Smith's "Master Puts One Over." All were illustrated by Frank R. Paul.

Weird Tales ran science-fiction regularly in those days, too. Its January number carried a cover illustration for "Invaders from Outside" by J. Schlossel; the theme of invasion from outer space was still novel then, and the yarn went over well. "The Eyrie" was printing letters debating the science-fiction - weird fiction question even at that early date---readers favoring the latter one. Lady Anne Bonney's "Wings of Power," a three-part serial, began in the same number; it dealt with the discovery of zodium, a new element that produced heightened vitality and longevity, and was fairly well written. "Wanderlust by Proxy," by Will F. Smith, appeared in the February number, and that for March contained Jan Dirk's "Electronic Plague," along with the finishing chapters of "Wings of Power." There were a few others---borderline cases---that might be mentioned, but the horror and/or supernatural always predominated.

Elsewhere: F. Britton Austin's "When the War Gods Walk Again" appeared in the January 17th number of The Saturday Evening Post; Everybody's Magazine had Stodard Goodhue's "Subconscious Witness" in its February number, and the next month saw the printing of R. Barstow's "Hypostasia" in the same periodical. In those days pickings were admittedly slim---but then, fandom was yet to come...;

---oOo---

Little Men, What Now? --- concluded from page 86

literary prostitutes." ---All in the name of science-fiction! Such, then, is one result of the wedlock of science-fiction and the well-meaning fan magazines, during the past ten or so years. Acting as midwife were the professional magazines with their ridiculous readers' columns and their commercialized sponsoring of clubs and leagues.

I feel quite confident that the majority of fantasy fiction readers do not want to live with such associates. Isn't it about time to take stock and clean house? The solution is obvious.

Saving...

90 FANTASY COMMENTATOR writing-standard; and the final chapters of "Rulers of the Future" were a decided improvement on the earlier ones, being quite entertaining in spots. For science-fiction readers who wished to look ever further afield for reading, there was a fair-sized assortment of magazines that featured occasional stories in this vein. Burroughs' "Swords of Mars" was appearing serially in The Blue Book Magazine, and the January 1935 issue of Thrilling Adventures contained "World of Doom," a Cummings story you had to like Cummings a good deal to enjoy. Although it was originally scheduled for Astounding and was illustrated by Dold, E. J. Derringer's "Heritage" came out that month in Top-Notch magazine. The air periodicals were also carrying yarns of a slight fantastic trend: Dusty Ayres, G-8 and His Battle Aces and Terence X, O'Leary's War Birds all dealt in part with the wicked Orientals, Germans, etc., and the various colored death rays that finished off each subversive group---until the next month, anyway. Operator 5 was busy with "The League of War Monsters," in the February number, and Arthur B. Reeve contributed "Craig Kennedy Strikes Back" to Popular Detective in the same month. The sole example of the genre in the slicks was Ben Ames Williams' "Deputy of Peril" in the January Red Book. Let's roll back the years to 1925. The nearest thing to an all science-fiction magazine twenty years ago were the Gernsback forerunners, and in Science and Invention John Martin Leahy's "Living Death," a novel of fantastic Anarctic adventure, was appearing as a nine-part serial. In the same magazine, during this three-month period, a trio of the "Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets" series of Clement Fezandie appeared. Radio News, another Gernsback publication, also featured frequent yarns of this type; the January number contained Warren Ordway's "Books in the Air"; the February, R. F. Smith's "Cent from Heaven": and in March, Smith's "Master Puts One Over." All were illustrated by Frank R. Paul. Weird Tales ran science-fiction regularly in those days, too. Its January number carried a cover illustration for "Invaders from Outside" by J. Schlossel; the theme of invasion from outer space was still novel then, and the yarn went over well. "The Eyrie" was printing letters debating the science-fiction - weird fiction question even at that early date---readers favoring the latter one. Lady Anne Bonney's "Wings of Power," a three-part serial, began in the same number; it dealt with the discovery of zodium, a new element that produced heightened vitality and longevity, and was fairly well written. "Wanderlust by Proxy," by Will F. Smith, appeared in the February number, and that for March contained Jan Dirk's "Electronic Plague," along with the finishing chapters of "Wings of Power." There were a few others---borderline cases---that might be mentioned, but the horror and/or supernatural always predominated. Elsewhere: F. Britton Austin's "When the War Gods Walk Again" appeared in the January 17th number of The Saturday Evening Post; Everybody's Magazine had Stodard Goodhue's "Subconscious Witness" in its February number, and the next month saw the printing of R. Barstow's "Hypostasia" in the same periodical. In those days pickings were admittedly slim---but then, fandom was yet to come...; ---oOo--- Little Men, What Now? --- concluded from page 86 literary prostitutes." ---All in the name of science-fiction! Such, then, is one result of the wedlock of science-fiction and the well-meaning fan magazines, during the past ten or so years. Acting as midwife were the professional magazines with their ridiculous readers' columns and their commercialized sponsoring of clubs and leagues. I feel quite confident that the majority of fantasy fiction readers do not want to live with such associates. Isn't it about time to take stock and clean house? The solution is obvious.